


The Gift

by igi_pigi



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:29:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26181166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/igi_pigi/pseuds/igi_pigi
Summary: Aberforth Dumbledore gets a surprise visit from his brother on a dull night at Hog's Head. Clearly, Albus doesn't get it that Aberforth doesn't want anything to do with him.[Set around 10 years after Ariana's death.]
Kudos: 3





	The Gift

**Author's Note:**

> I obviously pictured Jude Law as Albus. And Ewan McGregor as Aberforth.

It had been a long day at Hog's Head Inn, but not a particularly busy one. Aberforth Dumbledore absentmindedly looks at the clock that strikes 10 pm as he wipes the counter, having just served a customer. He watches him sway to the table where his mates are waiting for him. Some seats are vacant around the pub, only two people are sitting at the counter, though there is still a merry din going around. 

Aberforth doesn't even notice when he walks in. Albus Dumbledore is halfway to the counter when he notices him. Aberforth gets only a split second to react, or rather hide his reaction. And he does by putting the cloth under the counter and pretending to move glasses there. What in the bloody hell is he doing here? 

All these years his brother had tried to mend their relationship, tried to initiate talks between them, had only filled Aberforth with more and more hatred for him. He knows Albus is happy and well at Hogwarts, so easily moved on from what they'd been through - 

"Good evening, Ab," Albus seats himself in front of Aberforth, the counter separating them. "How are you?"

Aberforth doesn't look up, doesn't give any impression that he has registered Albus' presence. Even though it doesn't escape him that Albus has not removed his overcoat and hat yet. Perhaps he doesn't plan to stay... 

"What can I get you, sir?" 

"Nothing," says Albus, as though expecting that curt response. "I came here to see you."

There is that longing in his voice, but Aberforth keeps his eyes averted from him, only looking up to point at the door from which he had come in. "If you'll have nothing, then why are you here? The door's that way." 

Albus turns round to look at the door, as though he has never seen a door before! The nerve on him, first barging in here and now sneakily mocking him. Aberforth fights the urge to punch him. 

"Well," Albus turns back to Aberforth and leans forward on the counter, as if about to tell him a secret, "you see, it's my little brother's birthday. So I brought a present--" 

The rest of what he said is lost as three customers walk in and up to the counter, chatting away rather loudly and stopping right beside Albus. The woman orders their drinks right away and Aberforth is only too happy to serve as it gives him a moment to himself. He had completely forgotten it was his birthday today! They're not kids anymore, are they? 

He wants to think it's sweet of Albus to have remembered but seeing as there is barely an hour or so left of his 'birthday', this surprise visit feels more like an afterthought. Like he too, just remembered it and like the opportunist that he is, must have thought this a good occasion to hold out an olive branch.

Aberforth sneaks a glance at Albus while preparing the drinks. Albus has promptly turned away from the new arrivals, almost hiding his face. Yes, of course, doesn't want to be seen with his lowlife brother all when he is poised to be Minister of Magic soon, as per today's big story in the Daily Prophet. That's why he didn't take off the coat and hat, didn't he? So as to not draw attention to himself.

"I brought you a present, Ab," Albus completes as soon as the three people leave, putting the small rectangular thing on the counter. And now Aberforth cannot contain himself. 

"Did you, now? How very sweet of you!" He meets his brother's eyes for the first time, sarcasm dripping from his words. 

But somehow, Albus misses it completely! He smiles, relief washing over him, and his voice cracks when he speaks. "It's nothing, really."

Aberforth looks down. And Albus promptly pushes the gift towards him. It's covered in a modest gift wrap and looks to be a book. Is this another jab? Albus never thought Aberforth to be much of a reader or academically inclined, all while he would read books upon books locked away in his room. So why gift him a book now? To humiliate him?

Aberforth holds the present in his hand. "I miss you..." he hears Albus say, barely above a whisper. And he truly wishes he hadn't said that, because it just made what he is about to do so much worse. But he goes through anyway. He takes a breath, then hurls the gift at the wall far in front of him, behind Albus, at the garbage can there. 

It all happens so fast. The customers all turn to look at the two brothers, then at the wall and the garbage can, above which the package is Levitating. There are mutterings of 'is that Professor Dumbledore?' while the brothers continue to stare at each other, hurt etched on Albus' face and rage on Aberforth's.

Albus had merely had a second to react, he doesn't even have his wand out, didn't even say a spell. Yet he is Levitating the thing there. He even stood up after having cast the spell behind his back. Aberforth would have commented on his magical abilities if he wasn't so angry that Albus just robbed him of the satisfaction of smashing his stupid gift!

"Let go of it," Aberforth commands. 

Albus is clearly hurt, but he doesn't dare raise his voice. "You could've at least opened it!" 

"Let it drop and get the hell out of here!"

Albus doesn't budge. Alright then, he has left Aberforth no choice but to walk there and put the thing in garbage himself. He makes to walk out of the booth but Albus calls, "no... Stay."

Defeated, he lowers his head and waves his hand at the Levitating present. It promptly soars to the left and sets down on the ground right beside the garbage can. Fair enough. It'll be taken with the rest of the garbage when cleaning is done tomorrow. 

Feeling content, Aberforth says calmly, "now, get out." The people in the bar are also turning away, getting back to their chats. Aberforth, too, pours himself some firewhisky, pretending Albus has left already. Hopefully, his dim brother will take the cue and leave for good. 

"I get it," Albus slowly looks back up at him, "you're clearly displeased to see me."

Displeased? That is not the word Aberforth would use. "Are you slow, or just shameless? I'm asking you to leave."

"I'm sorry, Ab," Albus says softly, desperately trying to reach Aberforth's averted eyes. "I didn't mean to distress you."

Aberforth had been determined to not entertain Albus no matter what but this hollow apology just gets the better of him. "You never do mean any of it, do you Albus?" he snaps before he can stop himself. 

"What is that supposed to mean?" 

Aberforth screws his eyes shut, clutching the glass of firewhisky he'd made for himself so hard under the table that it's a surprise it hasn't broken yet. "Just go," he says through gritted teeth. 

"No, say it," raising his voice a notch, Albus places his hand on the counter and leans in, not caring now that the crowd in the bar is staring at them. "Let it out. Let's have a talk, why don't we?" 

"Here's your talk!" Aberforth splashes the firewhiskey he had in his hand in Albus' face! The crowd collectively draws a breath.

Albus is frozen, eyes lowered and mouth open, whiskey dripping from his beard onto his plush coat. He lets out a breath he'd been holding and puts a hand on his eyes, wiping a bit. 

Without a word, he turns and walks away - out the door and Aberforth thinks he heard the pop of Dissapperation before the door closed, but he doesn't care. A horrible feeling of guilt is creeping up inside him. He pushes it back down. Albus deserves that and much worse for... Aberforth shakes his head and pours himself some more ale, hoping the crowd gets back to its chatting as well.

The bar is even more vacant now, and all Aberforth finds himself doing is checking the clock time and again, as though waiting for something to happen. But what? He doesn't know. It's only 5 minutes to midnight now. The gift package is still sitting beside the garbage can peacefully. Tomorrow, the cleaners will take it away with the rest of the garbage. It must be brand new whatever it is, what if they keep it for themselves?

No! He should open the packaging and then put it in the can Yes, that seems right. He walks to the dustbin, unceremoniously picks up the light package and rips open the wrapping. His heart skips a beat when he sees infant Ariana's face! What the - 

Suddenly it occurs to him that he should have maybe taken this upstairs to open, instead of being crouched beside a dustbin where people can see him. But he continues to unwrap it all the same - more vigorously now. It's not a book, as Aberforth had thought, but a framed photograph of his family. Little baby Ariana is giggling up at him, their father holding her lovingly and smiling. His mother sits on a chair, head held up high and a bright smile lighting up her face. 

And then there are the two boys - standing on each side of their mother. Albus smiling rather brashly and young Aberforth a bit blushingly. A tear falls on the picture and Aberforth quickly, roughly wipes his sleeve on his eyes. He gets up just as quickly and makes his way upstairs, not caring if anyone has noticed or not.

How in the world did Albus have this photograph? It was destroyed in the... the fight between them and Grindelwald... Aberforth had had the burned and destroyed photograph in his hands later, lamenting at how he had lost the last memoir of his family complete and whole. How did Albus have this then? Maybe he too had a copy of this. No, that was the only one. That can't be. Did Albus recreate it somehow? He's a truly gifted wizard if he did. 

Lost in thought, he walks to his bedroom, the photograph clutched tightly in his hand, and only stops once he reaches Ariana's portrait at the far end. He cannot bring himself to meet her eyes. But why? He half expects her to scold him! Of course, Albus couldn't let it go in the garbage can...

Had he known Albus had brought him something so invaluable, Aberforth wouldn't have thrown the firewhiskey in his face... But he cannot change it now. Like Albus cannot change how he killed their sister. What's done is done. 

He would not put up this picture here in his room. It would remind him too much of Albus. So he opens the chest drawer, folds the gift wrap and places it there. Then upon it, he carefully places the last memento of his family. He finally draws up the courage to look up at Ariana. 

"I miss you..." he repeats Albus' words to her and she gives him her sweet vacant smile.

* * * *

As soon as he walks out of the Hog's Head, Albus turns on the spot and Dissapperates. He Apparates to the familiar, lonely road of Godric's Hollow, one that leads to the graveyard. He's been here too many times to count. He comes here when he doesn't know where else to go. 

He could've Apparated closer to the gates, but he needs this solitary walk in this chilly, lonely night. The whiskey on his face is freezing against the icy winds, cutting into his flesh. He could've magicked the alcohol away from his face and clothes, but he deserves this hurt. The humiliation at his brother's hands was nothing, he'd have happily taken it a hundred more times if maybe he'd talk to him once. 

Albus reaches the gates of the graveyard and walks to his usual spot, in front of the graves of his mother, father, and little sister, and drops to his knees in defeat. He'd spent days recreating the destroyed photograph. It took a lot out of him to recreate something that had been the casualty to such terrible dark magic. All in the hopes it would bring a smile to Aberforth's face.

And there was the anxiety about facing him as well. He'd almost postponed this to his next birthday. But then he talked himself into it. He told himself that Aberforth's happiness would make all this worth it. And for a fleeting moment there, he'd foolishly believed that Aberforth was indeed happy to see him. Albus thought he would hug him with tears of joy upon seeing the present... 

Rivaling the harsh coldness of the alcohol frozen on his face, white-hot tears escape his eyes. He lets them trail down his cheeks, revels in the ache of it. He puts a hand on Ariana's grave and bows some more, now shaking with sobs. If he could somehow exchange places with her, he'd do it in a heartbeat. He'd do it a hundred times. Maybe that would make Aberforth happy. Then he'd do it, yes. 

"I miss you..." he calls out to all four of them, dead and estranged, leaving him alone in the world. And he cries and cries until he can't feel himself anymore. 


End file.
